We remained silent for a long moment, caught up in the moment of silent war. He kept looking, and I refrained from speaking first, even though there was a lot that needed to be said.

My heart was beating loudly

The silence between them was not new. It had been there for many days, but today, it felt heavier. They were both standing still, caught in a moment of quiet war. There was tension in the air, like the thick stillness before a storm. No one wanted to be the first to speak, and yet so ...